In A Cat's Eyes
by Lamenting Fox
Summary: When Suguru loses something precious, Hiro steps in to help. Will Suguru ever find what he lost? Or will he find something to treasure in Hiro? SxH, rated T to be safe.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Gods above, it's been ages since I've posted anything here. Shame on me. This was intended to be a one-shot, but I broke it up into chapters due to its length. I apologize for any OOCness-I wrote this on a bit of a whim. Enjoy!

-Fox

* * *

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 1**

Suguru Fujisaki resisted the urge to sigh for the third time that afternoon. His skills as a master synth player meant that his execution of "The Rage Beat" was usually flawless.

"Usually" did not apply to today. His fingers had once again slipped to the wrong key, causing the whole song to come to a halt as his bandmates cringed away from K's waving magnum.

"Now look here, my sweet little dewdrops. Your next concert is only four days away. You're lucky we scheduled this break in the middle of the tour at all, and I can't have you boys slacking off for a week." Suguru's lips twitched. It was common knowledge that K scheduled a break mid-tour so he could have more time to spend with Judy while she was vacationing in Japan. Although K might have had more free time, the members of Bad Luck certainly did not. While the band was technically on a break from touring, K had scheduled at least one interview or photoshoot a day in addition to regular practice. "Do it again, from the top," K concluded.

"But K," Shuichi whined, "We've done this song a million times today-"

K lowered his gun at Shuichi. "And if you mess it up again, you'll play through the whole setlist until I'm satisfied," K threatened. The accompanying cackle meant he was serious.

Shuichi groaned and turned to look at Suguru. "Come on, Fujisaki, get it together," he pleaded.

Hiro glanced at Suguru as well, his eyes concerned. "Are you feeling all right, Fujisaki?"

Suguru sat straighter, the faintest blush on his cheeks. He was slowing his bandmates down, and that knowledge made his insides burn with irritation and embarrassment. "Yes, Nakano-san. Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine," he said with polite formality. "I'm just a little tired today."

Hiroshi frowned, but let the subject drop. Suguru mentally sighed with relief. Truthfully, he did feel out of sorts, but it was nothing he wanted to trouble his bandmates with. They would only laugh anyway.

"Let's do it again," Suguru announced as he placed his fingers on the synthesizer.

It was going to be a very long day.

Hiroshi Nakano yawned and blinked his heavy eyes sleepily. Setting the book down, he stood and stretched. _Time for bed,_ he decided. _The last thing I need is to fall asleep sitting up. Another chapter is not worth an aching back in the morning._

As he walked towards the back of Bad Luck's tour bus, he heard the unmistakable sound of Suguru's voice.

"No, Mika-san, I know you did your best. I never thought she'd run away like that either. She hasn't shown any interest in the outside world since I found her."

Hiro froze. He knew he shouldn't eavesdrop, but curiosity overwhelmed his guilt. He knew precious little about the synth player, and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to learn just the tiniest bit more about him.

"Yes, please call me if you find her." Suguru paused. "No, it's all right. If she doesn't find her way back to me, maybe she will at least find happiness with someone else."

Now Hiro was burning with curiosity. Who was this mystery woman Suguru was talking about? Hiro had always figured Suguru to be rather asexual since he showed absolutely zero romantic interest in anyone. Now it seemed that Suguru had not only been romantically involved with this unknown woman, but had also been dumped by her.

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Mika-san." A beep indicated that Suguru had ended the call.

"Fujisaki, I never knew you had a girlfriend!" Shuichi's voice was filled with both excitement and accusation.

Judging by Suguru's surprised yelp and the clatter of his phone dropping to the ground, Shuichi had been eavesdropping too. As Hiro wondered where his energetic friend had been hiding, he pushed aside the curtain that separated the sleeping quarters from the rest of the bus. There had been a door here once, but after Shuichi broke it for the third time, Sakano had insisted that they make do with a curtain before they went bankrupt from repair costs. As Hiro stepped into the room, Suguru glanced at him and flushed almost imperceptibly.

"It's not what you think, Shindou-san," Suguru began as he bent to pick up his dropped phone.

"Fujisaki, don't be embarrassed. It's okay if you don't want to talk about her. Did she leave you for another guy? Hey, maybe we can help you win her back! Which city does she live in? She can come to one of our concerts and you can confess your love for her to the entire audience, it will be so romantic!" Shuichi babbled.

Suguru's flush darkened the tiniest bit. "Shindou-san, I don't have a girlfriend."

"No, Fujisaki! Don't give up on her yet! What if she's the love of your life? On the other hand, if you're sure she isn't, then don't give up hope. You'll find love, Fujisaki, you will, because there are plenty of fish in the-"

"It's my cat, you idiot!" Suguru snapped.

Silence reigned supreme for several long seconds.

"Your...cat?" Shuichi said blankly.

Suguru turned crimson. "Yes, my cat. Mika-san was watching her while we're on tour, but she ran away a few days ago. Mika-san called to tell me that she hasn't been found yet."

Shuichi blinked. "Oh."

Looking vaguely disappointed, Shuichi mumbled something about calling Yuki and pushed past Hiro.

Silence returned with Shuichi's departure. Suguru was still flushed with embarrassment, and was carefully avoiding Hiro's eyes as he pretended to examine his phone for damage. As Hiro studied Suguru's face, he could see signs of distress on the younger boy's normally placid features. _That cat must mean a lot to him,_ he thought.

"Fujisaki?"

Suguru squared his shoulders and met Hiro's gaze. "Yes, Nakano-san?"

Hiro flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "Don't worry so much. I'm sure she'll find her way back to you."

Suguru sat in perplexed contemplation. Why had Hiroshi's warm smile made him feel so at ease the night before? _It's not like he knows the future. I may never see Mei-chan again, yet he seemed so confident that I would. Why did that make me feel less worried?_

After another minute of consideration, Suguru shook his head. The next concert was now only three days away, and if their latest practice session was any indication of how prepared they were, Suguru was in trouble. He thought K might really shoot him when he missed his entrance on the same song for the fourth time in under an hour.

_I'm letting my worries for Mei-chan get the best of me,_ he thought angrily as he sneezed. _I know it's silly to be upset over a cat, but I can't help it. I owe everything to her right now._

On one of the days closely following Tohma's announcement that Suguru would be joining Bad Luck, it had rained heavily. Suguru had gone for a walk, attempting to clear his head of the negative thoughts that had been swirling around since Shuichi blatantly rejected him. Standing in front of a music store with his umbrella in hand, he had just decided that he could never work with someone as impulsive and irrational as Shuichi Shindou, and was putting together what he would say to Tohma when he resigned from Bad Luck, when he heard a pathetic meow at his feet. Purring like a motor and rubbing against his leg was a small tortoiseshell kitten. She was half-starved, soaked from the rain, and favoring one bloody paw, yet she still twined between his ankles as if she had not a care in the world.

Maybe he was touched by her determination and fortitude, but Suguru had not resigned from Bad Luck that night. Instead, he had gently picked up the injured kitten and taken her to a vet. She was viciously abused, he had been told, and had a broken leg and a few broken ribs. She would never be able to see clearly out of one eye. The vet told Suguru that she might be scared of people for a long time, and she would never be a very good pet because she was probably born a stray. Still, Suguru had taken her home, although he could never explain why he did so. As it turned out, the vet was wrong, and Mei-chan was incredibly affectionate. It had been nice to have someone love him unconditionally, and her strong will had given him the determination to stay with Bad Luck, despite Shuichi's initial dislike for him.

Suguru yawned, suddenly feeling exhausted. He looked at the clock, noting that the TV interview that K had scheduled for Bad Luck was still more than three hours away. With nothing better to do, Suguru decided that for once in his life he was going to take a nap.


	2. Chapter 2

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 2  
**

Hiroshi thought the interview had gone well. Nothing scandalous was exposed, Shuichi did not burst into tears, and K never once threatened to blow anyone's head off. _Yes_, Hiroshi thought sardonically, _it was definitely one of the best interviews we've ever had. _Shuichi did most of the talking as per usual, and Suguru was quiet as was his custom. Still, something seemed off about the green-haired boy. Hiro studied the young man discreetly as they exited the elevator, but he could find no tangible reason for his concerns. Suguru looked a little tired, but otherwise seemed fine.

As they went through the front doors of the TV studio, they were met by a sudden barrage of camera flashes and garbled questions. A large group, maybe one hundred people strong, had gathered outside the studio to wait for the members of Bad Luck. Within this group were wild fans, curious passerby, and entertainment reporters. This last group was the worst and most dreaded because, unlike legitimate news reporters, these were the scum of the media world. These kinds of reporters worked for the cheap tabloids that published front page stories involving half-human cannibals living in the sewers and brain-stealing aliens posing as schoolgirls. No doubt these ravening wolves would snap up any bit of information they could and twist it around to suit their best interests.

Hiro sighed.

Still, they stopped and answered a few questions here and there as they made their way to the tour bus parked around the corner. They even signed several autographs, although Hiro politely declined to sign the forehead of the baby that was fervently thrust at him.

They were stopped by one man in particular that Hiro instantly disliked. If it were possible for one person to be the complete embodiment of all things vile and corrupt, this man was it. He had the greasy and unkempt appearance of someone oblivious to hygiene, although the rings he wore on several stubby fingers and the thick gold chain at his throat spoke of moderate wealth. A fat cigarette dangled from one corner of his mouth, periodically dropping ash on both his suit and the camera slung around his neck. His expression was that of a vulture eyeing fresh roadkill.

"So is it true that you will be performing at Tokyo Underground with Nittle Grasper?" the sleazy reporter sneered and blew a thick cloud of smoke their way.

Hiro could tell by the contemptuous grin that the reporter already knew Bad Luck had been booted from the venue _in favor_ of Nittle Grasper. He narrowed his eyes in irritation even as he wrinkled his nose in distaste at the cigarette smoke that seared his throat. However, as Shuichi opened his mouth to respond, Suguru began to cough violently. The hacking that shook his entire frame quickly escalated to dry heaving.

Without thought to the photographs that would doubtless appear in the papers the next day, Hiro grabbed Suguru's hand and tugged him through the crowd towards the tour bus. There were, as Hiro had expected, several camera flashes, but the gods must have been smiling on Hiro and Suguru at that moment because the crowd parted for them like butter parts for a hot knife. Over Suguru's coughing and the buzz of the crowd, Hiro could hear Shuichi and at least several fans chastising the man for his lack of consideration, but he paid it no mind.

The tour bus was empty when they arrived. Forcing Suguru into a seat, Hiroshi went in search of water. He came back with two bottles, opening one and passing it to Suguru.

"Thanks," Suguru croaked, and drank deeply from the bottle.

Hiro scrutinized his friend. "How long have you been feeling sick, Fujisaki?"

Suguru looked at him in surprise. "Huh?" he replied dumbly. Then he seemed to shake himself. "I'm fine, Nakano-san. Really. I was just a little overwhelmed-" Suguru faltered as Hiro strode forward and laid the back of his hand on Suguru's forehead.

Hiro hissed through his teeth. "You have a fever. How long have you been ill?" he asked again.

"I haven't-" Suguru began, but stopped abruptly at Hiroshi's look.

"Suguru, please," Hiro said quietly.

Maybe it was the look Hiro was giving him, or the use of his given name, or just the fact that Hiro's hand was still pressed to his forehead. Whatever the reason, Suguru's words died in his throat. He stared into Hiro's eyes for several long seconds.

"A few days," Suguru finally admitted.

Hiro nodded and let his hand drop to his side. "I thought as much. I'm going to let K know that he's going to have a guest for a few days. Shuichi's a big baby when he's sick, and we can't risk having him unable to sing for several weeks." He smiled wanly at Suguru. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to face the backlash from that many angry and disappointed fans."

Suguru grimaced. "Gods, no. It would be the end of us all."

Hiro laughed.

Suguru was furious with himself. How could he let himself get sick? He sniffled and pulled the blankets closer around him. Everyone except Hiroshi had been banned from the tour bus to avoid spreading the sickness. Why exactly Hiro was allowed to stay Suguru could not quite fathom. When he had asked Hiro, the guitarist danced around the question, and finally mumbled something about Shuichi insisting Hiro was the most motherly person on tour. Somehow Suguru got the feeling that wasn't the real reason Hiro was taking care of him.

All the attention the guitarist had been giving him made him feel strange. He had yet to determine if this were a good or bad thing.

The object of his thoughts walked in as if summoned by some silent call. He sat on Suguru's bed and checked his temperature with a frown. "How are you feeling?"

"Cold," Suguru said bluntly. "Eight blankets and I'm still cold." He shivered. "Are there any more blankets?" he asked hopefully.

Hiro shook his head.

"Oh," Suguru said, somewhat disappointed. He really was quite cold. He shivered again violently.

"Suguru..." Hiro stopped and stared at Suguru for several long moments, looking conflicted. Then he swore and shifted, sliding the heavy layer of blankets back long enough to slip underneath them with Suguru.

"Hiroshi-san?" Suguru said uneasily, unconsciously calling Hiro by his given name. "What are you-"  
"Relax," Hiro said. "You're cold, right? You'll be warmer this way."

Sure enough, Suguru felt warmer almost instantly, although that was partially due to the intensely hot blush that suffused his face and body to such a degree that it could be seen from space. And although Suguru fought it with tooth and nail, sleep quickly claimed him.

Hiro smiled as Suguru's breathing evened out. The little synth player was curled around Hiro's side, his face nuzzled against Hiro's shoulder. Suguru's soft breath tickled Hiro's arm where his t-shirt ended and sent chills racing down his spine. He looked down at Suguru's beautiful face pressed against his side and thought to himself, _I could get used to this. He's so damn cute when he's asleep._

The thought sent a minor shockwave through Hiro. Since when had he begun to acknowledge his feelings for Suguru? He'd felt something not quite platonic for the boy from the first day they met, but always Hiro had denied his feelings. His relationship with Ayaka had been initiated partially to drive those feelings away.

Obviously it hadn't worked.

Suguru sighed in his sleep and fidgeted. Hiro took the opportunity to shift his arm, half asleep as it was, and Suguru promptly snuggled closer. Hiro put his arm gently around Suguru's shoulders, careful not to wake him. Suguru smiled.

Hiro's breath caught, and his heart skipped a beat at the sweetness of that smile. A warm, tender feeling blossomed in his chest, followed by a distinct sense of anxiety. Hiro was suddenly quite aware of why he insisted on personally nursing Suguru back to health rather than relegating the task to someone else.

_I'm in love with Suguru Fujisaki_, he thought. _Oh man, am I in trouble._


	3. Chapter 3

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 3  
**

Suguru awoke feeling warm and inexplicably content, as if he'd regained more than strength from his rest. He rose from bed and stretched languidly. It was the day of the first concert that marked the second half of their Japan tour. Overall, Suguru felt great, but the worry for Mei-chan still niggled at the back of his mind.

"I see you're up," said a familiar voice. Suguru shook his head to clear it. He looked up and saw Hiroshi leaning against the doorframe, every muscle indicating the grace and poise of a cat.

_Cat..._

Suguru's mind wandered back to Mei-chan. Was she safe? Was she scared or lonely?

"Thinking about your cat?" Hiro asked shrewdly.

Suguru glanced at him, startled by Hiro's perceptiveness. "Um...yes, actually. Mei-chan-" he flushed at her name, feeling suddenly foolish. "She's all I really have, aside from Tohma and Mika."

"She must be quite the little lady to mean so much to you," Hiro noted, his eyes dancing with mischief and something else that Suguru couldn't name. Something almost dangerous that made his stomach turn to butterflies and his chest tighten in a way that was not entirely unpleasant. Suguru's resulting blush was quite apparent if Hiro's amused smirk was any indication. Suddenly tongue-tied, Suguru could only nod.

Hiro's smirk gave way to a warm smile, and he reached out to tousle Suguru's hair. "No worries, Suguru-chan," Hiro said brightly. "You'll have her back in no time."  
He turned and disappeared behind the curtain, leaving Suguru to stare dumbly after him.

_How is it,_ he wondered, _that he unsettles me like no one else can?_

He replayed their conversation in his head. _Suguru-chan, hmm? _Somehow, coming from Hiro, it didn't piss him off. _Was he teasing me about Mei-chan's name? Or was he insinuating that he thinks I'm cute? Nah, what am I thinking? Hiroshi would never think of me as cute,_ he thought a little sadly.

Suguru's thoughts stopped quite as suddenly as if they had slammed into a wall.

_Do I...like Hiroshi?_ he wondered in amazement. _Yes, I think I do._

He sighed worriedly. _This could cause problems._

Hiro stood backstage minutes before the concert. The opening band had already finished playing and Bad Luck's crew was making the final adjustments to the equipment. The crowd was already screaming their excitement.

Hiro looked over to where Shuichi stood off to one side, huddled over his cell phone. Judging by his doe-eyed expression, the singer was talking to Yuki. Hiro snorted his amusement. He glanced around for Suguru and saw the synth player standing a few feet behind him, leaning against a wall. Suguru's lips were moving as if he were talking to himself, and his eyes were closed. Hiro moved closer out of curiosity, and realized Suguru was singing the words to an English song Hiro didn't recognize. His voice was rather sweet and just a little melancholy, unexpectedly reminding Hiro of the stories of Greek sirens. Suguru's voice rose and fell like the ebb and flow of the ocean tides. His voice dipped seductively low, and Hiro shivered.

He knew he shouldn't be staring, but he couldn't help himself. He was riveted to the spot, watching Suguru pause in his singing to take a swig from the bottle of water he was holding. Hiro watched in fascination as water escaped the bottle and trailed across the delicate jawline, rolling down the slender neck to disappear under Suguru's shirt collar. Hiro swallowed hard. Wiping the back of his hand across his mouth, Suguru opened his eyes and looked directly at Hiro.

Suguru had been trying to loosen up before the concert, singing one of his favorite English songs to keep his mind off of Mei-chan and Hiro. But when he opened his eyes to find Hiro staring at him, his mind went completely blank.

Hiro's gaze was intense, filled with an emotion that Suguru was not brave enough to name. Suguru could swear that his heart stopped the moment he met Hiro's eyes. He wished he could lose himself in those soulful eyes forever. He wanted to reach out to Hiro and pull him close, caress his tender lips with his own. Suguru took a few steps forward until he was within arm's reach of his bandmate.

He licked his lips.

Suguru's brain took control once more. He smiled tentatively at Hiro. "Are you ready, Hiroshi-san?"

Hiro blinked at him, the nameless emotion vanishing in a breath. He smiled back. "Of course."

The stage lights dimmed, and the fans screamed their appreciation. It was time for the concert to start.

Hiro arose from bed early the morning after the concert. The previous night's performance had been Hiro's best ever. Something about Suguru had energized him in a way nothing else could, and that energy flooded into his music. Suguru, too, seemed to play with more exuberance than normal.

Their next concert was not until the following day, so the crew was taking their time packing to avoid making mistakes. This was a wise choice, made based in part from hard experience. Mistakes meant dealing with an angry K, and an angry K meant guns. Needless to say, the crew did their best to work flawlessly. As a result, the members of Bad Luck had until the mid-afternoon free while the crew worked.

Hiro wandered aimlessly through the groups of people coiling cables and stowing instruments away with care. He helped where he could, but the efficiency of the tech crew meant that he would be in the way more often than not. For the most part, Hiro was content to simply observe the activity.

Rounding the front of one of the crew's tour buses-a much simpler version of Bad Luck's own tour bus-he heard voices raised in anger.

"I'm telling you, we can't allow live animals on the tour buses!" yelled a burly man who looked for all the world like an angry mountain.

His opponent in the verbal sparring match was a diminutive scrap of a man, nondescript in everything but his sheer stubborn will. "And _I'm _ telling _you _that I have orders straight from Mika Seguchi-san to deliver this animal directly into the hands of one Suguru Fujisaki-san, and no feeble-minded ox like you is going to stop me!" the little man retorted hotly.

The mountain man-Koji, if Hiro remembered correctly-was opening his mouth to give an equally angry reply when Hiro intervened.

"Excuse me, but did you say that came from Mika Seguchi-san?" Hiro addressed the smaller of the two men.

He looked at Hiro and nodded. "Yes, and I'm not leaving until I deliver it or it'll be my head." He shot a nasty glare at his heavily muscled foe. Hiro bent down and peeked inside the carrier.

"I could be fired for letting an animal on the buses," Koji complained. "Worse than fired if K-san-"

Hiro straightened quickly. "Hey, listen. If I take that animal to Fujisaki, you," he pointed at the small man, "will have fulfilled your orders, and you," he pointed at Koji, "can tell anyone who complains that Hiroshi Nakano took the animal against your wishes. I accept full responsibility if either of your employers are unsatisfied. Is that fair?"

Both men grumbled, but neither had any objections.

And so Hiro found himself in the possession of a small pet carrier containing one rather unhappy tortoiseshell cat. He immediately hurried back to the tour bus, wanting to arrive before Suguru returned from his trip to a nearby shopping district.

The tour bus was, as he expected, devoid of life. Hiro settled the pet carrier on one end of his bed before sitting gingerly on the other end. He stared at the caged, disgruntled cat with the same wary expression she was giving him.

"So you must be the elusive Mei-chan," he announced. The cat blinked slowly in response.

"Ah...I'm not exactly sure what to do with you for the moment." Hiro sat for a minute in contemplation, then sighed. "Well, you'll be staying with us for a while, so I guess you might as well explore a little."

He opened the door of the pet carrier slowly. Without warning, the cat that had been lounging at the back of the carrier turned into a raging ball of fury. She bolted from the cage faster than Hiro could blink, and streaked towards the front of the bus.

"Hey!" Hiro yelled. "No, kitty, come back!"

For the better part of ten minutes, Hiro chased the mottled cat around the bus. The feline seemed determined to hole up in every corner of the tour bus that Hiro couldn't reach and swipe at him with claws extended when he tried.

Finally giving up after a particularly nasty scratch began to bleed, Hiro decided he never wanted to own a cat. He sat down on his bed with a dejected sigh, wondering how Suguru could be so fond of something so infuriating. He flopped onto his back and looked at the scratch on the underside of his wrist, deciding that it was not bad enough to need a bandage.

The bed shook as Mei-chan leapt onto it. She stared at Hiro with sparkling yellow-green eyes that Hiro could swear twinkled with a haughty smugness. She stalked her way up to his chest and-much to Hiro's discomfort-turned around once and laid down, purring loudly.

"You devilish little beast," Hiro muttered, but scratched behind her ears anyway. Mei-chan closed her eyes in pleasure and purred louder, rubbing affectionately against his hand. "You really are quite the little lady," Hiro chuckled.


	4. Chapter 4

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 4**

Suguru trudged back to the tour bus with reluctance. He had tried to get his mind off of his missing Mei-chan and his growing feelings for Hiro by shopping for new books, but shelf after shelf of romance novels perched next to the section of pet care books told him that the universe was going to persist in mocking him. Really, what kind of bookstore stocked romance novels next to pet care books anyway? It was illogical. The three pet stores he passed on the way to the bookstore further proved his theory.

Suguru let out a sigh and wondered if they were becoming part of his regular breathing pattern. He climbed onto the tour bus and glanced around. Hearing nothing, he assumed he was alone. Making his way back to the sleeping quarters, he tried to puzzle out what he would do about his crush on Hiro. He definitely had strong feelings for the guitarist, and was almost ready to admit that those feelings were nothing short of love.

He was so focused on his own thoughts when he pushed past the curtain separating the beds from the rest of the bus that he did not see Hiro or his guest.

"Hey, Suguru, we're going to have a lady friend visiting for a while," came a sudden voice that nearly made Suguru jump out of his skin. "I hope you won't mind."

Suguru, who had been facing away from Hiro when he spoke, shut his eyes tightly from a pain that had nothing to do with shock. Had Hiro brought Ayaka-san to tour with them? The thought made Suguru sick. He swallowed hard and forced himself to open his eyes.

He turned to face Hiro. "Of course not, Hiroshi-san. If you have a lady friend that-"

Suguru froze in absolute astonishment. He stared dumbfounded at Hiro, stretched lazily across the bed, his shirt riding just high enough to expose a slim expanse of smooth stomach. Hiro did not have Ayaka-san or any other lady friend with him. Hiro was, in fact, quite alone except for the cat he was idly scratching behind the ears.

A tortoiseshell cat. A very content tortoiseshell cat with an orange-tipped nose and white paws and sweet yellow-green eyes that looked suspiciously like-

"Mei-chan?" Suguru gasped in wonder.

Hiro grinned.

Suguru flew over to Hiro and snatched Mei-chan to his chest. If Hiro noticed the handful of tears that escaped down Suguru's cheeks, he politely ignored them. Mei-chan rubbed her head against Suguru's face and purred happily.

Hiro sat up gracefully. "I ran across a guy with orders from Mika-san to bring Mei-chan here. One of the road crew wouldn't let him in case it made K angry, so I offered to take charge of her myself. There was a note in the carrier, by the way. Mika-san said it would be better for all involved if Mei-chan were here with you for the duration of our tour. I don't think anyone will mind."

In his current emotional state, Suguru's rational thought processes were severely impaired. It was a purely emotional reaction when he turned to Hiro and pulled the redhead tightly to him in a one-armed hug, the other arm still supporting the uncomplaining Mei-chan.

"Thank you, Hiro," Suguru whispered, addressing Hiro informally. "You don't know how much she means to me."

Hiro chuckled as he returned the hug. "I think I have a pretty good idea."

It took several long moments before Suguru realized what he was doing. When it finally registered in his mind that he was hugging Hiro, he pulled back hurriedly, a dark blush suffusing his cheeks. "Um...sorry."

Hiro seemed not to have heard him. He was staring at Suguru with the same intense look from the concert the night before, a sweet smile playing on his lips. "You know, you're cute when you blush, Suguru-chan," Hiro mused.

Suguru stuttered. "W-what?"

Hiro's eyes cleared, and he looked embarrassed. "Ah...nothing. Forget it."

_Hiro...thinks I'm cute?_

_ Idiot!_ Hiro mentally cursed. Suguru was looking at him with a shocked expression that did not bode well. He could feel a blush creep up his neck and fill his cheeks with burning color. He ran one hand through his hair nervously.

"Listen, Suguru-"

Suguru moved so quickly that Hiro bit back a yelp of surprise. He didn't see Suguru put the cat down, but he must have because he was grasping Hiro's arm with both hands, studying the still-bleeding wound.

"Hiro, you're bleeding," Suguru said softly. "Is this from Mei-chan?"

Hiro shivered at the gentle touch of Suguru's fingers on his skin. "Yeah, but it was probably my fault."

Suguru spun and left the room, returning moments later with a first aid kit.

"Suguru, it's just a scratch, I'll be fine," Hiro reasoned, although secretly he longed to feel the cool touch of those long and delicate fingers again.

"Don't be stupid. I don't know where Mei-chan's been recently, and if this gets infected you'll be a damned useless guitarist for a while," Suguru said with blunt practicality.

Hiro paled a little at the thought of a grossly infected arm ruining the rest of the tour. "Ah. Yes. Of course," he said weakly.

"She's fully vaccinated, so at least you don't have to worry about rabies," Suguru continued absently.

He carefully cleaned the scratch-deeper than Hiro had thought-and put a large bandaid on the wound.

Hiro looked at the bandage in confusion. "Hello Kitty?"

Suguru gave a long-suffering sigh. "Apparently a certain pink-haired singer replaced all of the bandages with Hello Kitty first aid supplies." He held up a pink box of cotton swabs to prove his point.

Hiro burst out laughing. "This kind of thing shouldn't surprise you by now, Suguru."

Suguru cracked a rather amused smile. "No, I suppose it shouldn't."

Suguru rarely smiled unless it was the polite but emotionless smile he inherited from Tohma. This smile, like the one Hiro had glimpsed when Suguru was ill, was entirely genuine, and the way it lit up Suguru's features made Hiro's chest ache. Hiro realized that Suguru was still lightly holding his wrist, and warmth flooded his body at the knowledge of the contact. The air suddenly felt too heavy to breathe. Hiro looked at Suguru, _really_ looked at him, and made a decision. Before he could change his mind, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Suguru's.

The kiss was chaste and quick, over before Suguru registered he'd been kissed. His mind completely blanked. Some distant part of him was screaming in astonishment, _That was your first kiss! Hiroshi Nakano just kissed you! Hiro really kissed you!_ He felt a wave of emotions crashing through his entire being. Excitement warred with confusion, which was aided by pure unadulterated terror.

Realizing that Hiro was watching him expectantly, a noticeably pink tinge to his cheeks, Suguru struggled to get his mind working again. He should say something witty or romantic or maybe something funny although romantic was probably better but he was entirely inexperienced and didn't know what to say that wouldn't sound stupid so perhaps he should say something smart but _FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST SAY SOMETHING!_

"Um...hi?" Suguru said with all the eloquence of a teaspoon.

Hiro stared at him for a second. Then he laughed, although his eyes still showed nervousness. "Hi."

"I don't...I mean, you...uh...what I mean is...um..." Suguru fumbled desperately for words, but his mind refused to cooperate. Hiro's face began to fill with painful regret. Suguru paused, then let out an explosive sigh and a muttered curse. He grabbed Hiro's head in both hands and dragged him back for another kiss. This one was not nearly so chaste as the first. It was passionate and sweet, a perfect sharing of emotions that words could never hope to describe, and Suguru never wanted it to end. Finally, the two broke apart for much-needed air. Suguru reveled in the warm tingles spreading throughout his body as Hiro peppered his jaw and neck with tender kisses. He found that he was perched in Hiro's lap, his love's arms possessively encircling his slim waist.

Suguru trailed his hands through the silky red hair thoughtfully as he caught his breath. "Hiro?"

Hiro stopped his ministrations at the nervous tone of Suguru's voice. "Yeah?"  
"If you don't mind, could we not let K know about this? Or Shuichi?"

Hiro shuddered, presumably at the thought of their newfound relationship on public display. "Absolutely. They'll find out eventually, but not for a long time if I can help it," he said vehemently.

Suguru nodded and was silent. Hiro pulled him closer and buried his face in Suguru's neck.

"Hiro?"

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you still dating Ayaka-san?"

"Who?" Hiro asked distractedly, his words muffled. "Oh, Ayaka. No, we broke up a couple of months back. It was mutual. She was still hung up on Yuki, and I was interested in someone else."

"Really? Who?" Suguru asked, curiosity winning out over jealousy.

Hiro raised his head and met Suguru's gaze directly. His eyes danced with merriment. "You."

Suguru flushed again, which elicited another chuckle from Hiro. "Oh."

Another silence fell. Hiro returned to nuzzling Suguru's neck, and Suguru was content to drape his arms around Hiro's shoulders and allow himself to just be held. Suguru felt strangely comforted by Hiro's embrace, as if all of the problems of the world could not touch him. It was soothing, and he found himself drifting into a half-sleep.

"Hiro?"

Hiro snickered in amusement. "Yes, Suguru?"

"We have a visitor."


	5. Chapter 5

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 5  
**

Hiro felt the sudden stiffness of Suguru's body. Unconsciously clasping Suguru tighter, Hiro's head shot up in alarm.

By the door, two heads were poking through the curtain, one pink and one brown.

_Damn,_ he thought. _Of all the people who could have wandered in right now, it had to be them. This is bad._

The two bodies belonging to the two heads bounced into the room holding hands. Ryuichi Sakuma clutched Kumagorou's paw and grinned innocently at Hiro and Suguru.

"Hi, Hiroshi-kun! Hi, Suguru-kun! Kuma and I are trying to find Shu-chan," the vocalist announced, happily oblivious to the situation he interrupted.

"I don't know where he is, Sakuma-san," Hiro said apologetically, vaguely wondering if Ryuichi simply hadn't noticed that Hiro and Suguru were clinging to each other like the end of the world was drawing near.

Ryuichi pouted. "But Shu-chan has the day off, and Ryu-chan wanted to play." He cocked his head to one side. "Kuma-chan says he's happy Tohma's cousin found someone to make him shiny."

Suguru paled. "Sakuma-san," he began nervously. "Please don't tell Tohma-kun about Hiro and me. We'd like to keep this a secret from everyone for a while, but especially Tohma."

Surprisingly, Ryuichi agreed without question. He didn't even ask if he could tell Shuichi. "Kuma and I keep good secrets!" He proclaimed.

Hiro and Suguru exchanged a look of doubt. Suguru shrugged, and Hiro sighed. What choice did they have? Hopefully their secret would be safe for a few days at least.

"Thank you, Sakuma-san," Hiro said.

Ryuichi smiled brilliantly, then his eyes went wide with childish surprise. He gasped. "KITTY!'

Several weeks passed, and still the press did not come banging down the doors. Suguru wondered if maybe Ryuichi would actually keep his promise. He'd always figured the vocalist had the attention span and intelligence of a child. Maybe he was wrong.

Suguru yawned and shifted. They had two days without any concerts or interviews, and Yuki had come down that afternoon to visit Shuichi. The writer claimed it was the only way to stop Shuichi's incessant phone calls, but it was obvious that Yuki missed his lover. When Shuichi flew inside the tour bus an hour after Yuki's arrival and hurriedly packed a small bag with extra clothing, Suguru knew that he and Hiro would be alone for the night.

He caught himself yawning again, and blinked sleepily. Suguru was sitting curled against Hiro's side, the redhead's arm draped lazily over his shoulders as they watched some bad movie on Suguru's laptop. The movie had come as a gift from Shuichi in celebration of three-quarters of their concert successfully completed. Hiro had received an equally bad movie from the singer, although why Shuichi was celebrating the success of the tour with awful movies was beyond Suguru's comprehension. He adjusted his position so he could nuzzle Hiro's shoulder, and sighed contentedly. _Everything is perfect right now_, he thought muzzily.

Normally he would fight off sleep until a movie was over, but Hiro was already dozing next to him, and Mei-chan was curled into an unconscious ball next to the laptop at the foot of the bed. Suguru smiled into Hiro's shoulder and closed his eyes, allowing himself to drift off to sleep.

A distant rattle and a squeak woke Suguru from a vaguely pleasant dream. Beside him, he felt Hiro stir in groggy confusion. Had his mind not been clouded with sleep, Suguru would have realized sooner that the sounds he was hearing were of several people entering the tour bus and walking purposefully towards the back. The sound of a throat being cleared roused him to immediate wakefulness. His eyes flew open, and he was greeted by a most unwelcome sight.

Tohma Seguchi stood in the curtained doorway, closely followed by K and Ryuichi. K looked delightedly surprised and Ryuichi beamed at them, but Tohma's look was more disturbing. The arm around his shoulders tightened, telling Suguru that Hiro also recognized the danger here. If Tohma decided that he didn't like the relationship, very bad things could happen.

Suguru licked his lips uneasily. "Tohma. What a surprise."

Tohma's voice, much like his eyes, was as cold as ice. "I can see that it was. Care to explain this, Suguru?"  
Suguru reflected Tohma's smile with one of his own. "Not particularly."

Tohma's eyes narrowed.

K rubbed his hands together with glee. "This is perfect! It's exactly what we need for publicity-"

"NO!" Snapped three furious voices.

K looked taken aback for a moment, then sulked out of the room.

Tohma continued to glare at Suguru as Ryuichi chewed on Kumagorou's ear unhappily.

"Suguru, you will end this relationship now," Tohma demanded.

"I will do no such thing," Suguru coolly objected.

"It will ruin your career. Your life. You will end it."

"I will not."

"Suguru, as your cousin, I am responsible for you. I know what's best for you. I cannot allow this to continue." Tohma paused. "If you do not end things with Nakano-san, NG will drop Bad Luck."

Suguru's mouth went dry. Tohma was dead serious.

"Seguchi-san, please-"

"No, Hiro," Suguru said quietly. "Don't waste your breath. Anything you say will only fall on deaf ears. Tohma knows exactly how to back you into a corner to get what he wants."

It was true. For Hiro and Suguru, music was their lives. Without NG's support, Bad Luck would almost certainly be forced to disband. Music was all Suguru knew, and he had come to be proud of Bad Luck. He didn't want to quit now, not when they were doing so well. The thought of living without Hiro by his side, however, was equally unbearable. Bitter tears stung Suguru's eyes. No matter what choice he made right now, he would lose something precious to him.

"KUMAGOROU BEAM!"

Ryuichi's shout was so unexpected that Hiro thought he might have a heart attack on the spot. Tohma let out an undignified yelp as Ryuichi's pink bunny whacked him in the head. Kumagorou's surprise attack knocked Tohma's hat off and mussed up his hair.

"Ryuichi," Tohma said with feigned calm, "now is not the time for games."

"Tohma's a meanie," whined Ryuichi, his eyes filled with tears. He sniffled. "Tohma is a big meanie and Kuma and I don't like it."

Tohma sighed and retrieved his hat from the floor. "Ryuichi, you don't understand. This needs to be done."

"No!" Ryuichi shook his head furiously. "Tohma doesn't understand. Suguru-kun and Hiroshi-kun are shiny together. Tohma wants to steal the shiny away, and it's not fair." Tears ran down Ryuichi's cheeks now. "Love is shiny, Tohma. Remember?"

Tohma's eyes softened. "Ryu..." He sighed gustily. "Fine, Ryuichi, you win." He purposefully placed his hat back on his head and looked at Hiro. "Tell me, Nakano-san, do you love my cousin?"

Beside him, Suguru's eyes widened and his face flushed.

Hiro understood why. He and Suguru had only been together for a few weeks, and they had agreed to take things slow. Hiro was confident in how he felt about Suguru, but was it too soon for confessions of love? He knew Suguru had never been with anyone else, and he didn't want to rush the boy through his first relationship. What would Tohma do if Hiro refused to answer? For that matter, what would he do if Hiro said yes? Either way he was in dangerous territory.

Hiro chuckled quietly and ran a hand through his hair. "You know, I haven't even said that to _him _yet."

"It's a simple question, Nakano-san. Do you or do you not love Suguru?" Tohma persisted.

Hiro cocked his head to one side. "Love is never simple, Seguchi-san." Hiro understood that this was some sort of test, although he wasn't sure which answer would allow him to pass. If he said no, he would be lying to Suguru. If he said he wasn't sure, he would be seen as flighty and unworthy, and Tohma would quickly find a way to dispose of him. If he said yes, he would almost certainly make a powerful enemy since Tohma so clearly disapproved of the relationship. There was every possibility that he would ruin Hiro's career with a snap of his fingers if he decided it was time for his cousin to find a more respectable partner.

Hiro looked at Suguru, noting the conflicting emotions flitting across the boy's face. Curiosity and hope warred with fear and anger and confusion. Underneath all of that, however, was unwavering, unmistakable affection. Seeing Suguru's feelings for him written so clearly on his face made Hiro's heart burn with a fierce joy. _Ah, to hell with it all. I'll risk having Tohma Seguchi as an enemy. _"Yeah, I do. Body and soul, I love him."


	6. Chapter 6

**In A Cat's Eyes: Chapter 6**

Suguru couldn't stop the smile that exploded onto his face. _Hiro loves me,_ he thought giddily.

Tohma sighed. "Suguru, I hope you know what you're doing. This won't be pleasant for you in the long run. The press will get wind of this sooner or later."

Suguru laughed, startling Tohma. "Tohma, we've known that since the beginning. And even though you told him not to, you know K will find a way to leak something. We're willing to take the risk. What will be will be, and we'll deal with it when it comes."

Tohma shook his head, for once in his life defeated. "Nakano-san, if you hurt my cousin, I will make you suffer until the end of your days," he threatened.

Hiro gave a crooked smile. "If I ever hurt him, nothing you could do to me would be adequate enough punishment, Seguchi-san."

Tohma's eyes were unreadable, but Suguru had the distinct feeling that Hiro gave Tohma the answer he wanted. Tohma smiled, and left without another word. Ryuichi, tears long gone, waved goodbye with Kumagorou's paw.

"I'll do what I can to help, na no da!" Then he, too, was gone.

Hiro turned and pulled Suguru into his lap.

"Hiro?"

"I meant it, you know," Hiro said, his eyes glowing with warmth. "Body and soul," he repeated, "I love you, Suguru Fujisaki."

Suguru smiled and wrapped his arms around Hiro. "And I love you, Hiroshi Nakano."

At the end of the bed, Mei-chan stretched luxuriously and yawned. Suguru stared in disbelief at the cat that had gone unnoticed in all of the commotion. "You lazy lump," he cried and swatted at her tail. "You slept through the whole thing!"

As Suguru had predicted, despite their attempts at secrecy rumors began after just a few weeks. Hiro suspected K was at the heart of them, but of course he would never be able to prove it. Reporters started showing up at their concerts, camping outside of the venues if they were removed by security.

Shuichi, who only recently became privy to their secret relationship, helped all he could. After what he went through with Yuki, he understood their desire to remain out of the spotlight. As it turned out, Hiro and Suguru's relationship was more interesting to the general public than Shuichi's love affair had been. This was, so Shuichi claimed, because Hiro and Suguru were more appealing to females, and thus there was considerable anger over both of the remaining members of Bad Luck being taken off the market indefinitely.

Hiro stroked Mei-chan's chin. He understood now why Suguru was so attached to the cat. She seemed to know exactly when Suguru needed comfort and love, even if he didn't realize it himself. She had come to extend her affections to Hiro, although she still disliked Shuichi, much to the vocalist's dismay.

Hiro sighed. Tonight was the last concert of their tour, and the venue was already swarming with the press. This was a big night for Bad Luck, and the reporters wanted to make it even bigger, which could be good or bad depending on how they chose to do it. Considering that they intended to do it by placing Hiro and Suguru on display like public dart boards, Hiro decided it was a very bad thing indeed. Publicity was good for the band, but there were better ways of getting it. Briefly, Hiro had considered giving the reporters something worthwhile to publish, perhaps by pulling Suguru into a passionate kiss on stage, but he decided against it with a small pang of disappointment.

Mei-chan purred beneath his fingertips.

If they could get through tonight without incident, they would be fine and the press would back off. Just one night. How hard could it be?

Bad Luck gave an amazing performance, and the fans were satisfied. The press, however, was not. Somehow over a dozen reporters and several dozen fans had managed to march past the security and were lying in wait for the band by the tour buses. One foolish man decided to break into the band's tour bus for potentially scandalous information. He emerged less than a minute later, scratched and bleeding with a tortoiseshell cat perched on his head. The man was screaming, and rightfully should have been because Mei-chan was attempting to claw at his eyes. When the cat finally dislodged herself and hopped to the ground, she had become completely surrounded by people. The press of bodies was so thick that every escape route was cut off. Mei-chan pressed herself to the pavement, ears flat against her head, and hissed. She swiped her claws at a hand that tried to grab her, and growled.

It was this scene that the members of Bad Luck and their manager found after the concert ended. Screaming reporters and fans alike were circled around something Suguru couldn't see, and the path to the tour bus was completely blocked. An unnatural yowl filled the air, partially drowning out the arguing people.

Suguru stiffened as he saw the tour bus door ajar. The blood drained from his face in terror and he felt incredibly faint. "Mei-chan," he gasped, and bolted towards the crowd.

"Suguru, wait!" he dimly heard Hiro yell, but he didn't care. Suguru knew that with the crowd in such a frenzied state, there was a good chance that Mei-chan would be injured or worse.

He tried to shove his way through the crowd, but there were too many people. Hiro appeared beside him, but even the two of them couldn't fight the tide of people. All at once the crowd seemed to notice the two band members in their midst. Reporters shouted questions, and fans begged for autographs or expressed their undying love. He thought he heard more than a few derogatory remarks about homosexuals as well, but he could not tell for certain.

A microphone was shoved roughly in Suguru's face, clipping his mouth hard enough to cut his lip. The crowd shifted and Suguru stumbled hard. Hiro caught him just before he fell, and pulled him close. The din of the crowd grew louder, and flashes of light dazzled Suguru's eyes. He raised his hand to his throbbing mouth and felt wetness on his chin. His hand came away bloody, and he stared at the substance in stunned surprise. Even the sight of blood did not quench the mad thirst of the crowd. Hiro's arms tightened around him.

Several loud bangs cut the air. Those nearest the sound clapped their hands to their ears and several people screamed, but everyone stopped shouting. The silence was profound. Suguru looked around and saw something so strange he had to rub his eyes to convince himself he was not seeing things.

Perched on something taller than a chair, Ryuichi stood head and shoulders above the crowd. The spotlights illuminating the parking lot gave him a haloed appearance, an otherworldly glow that lent him the authority his diminutive size and normally childish personality did not. The pink bunny seated atop his head did little to diminish the spectacular and intimidating sight. In the singer's arms was a severely annoyed tortoiseshell cat.

_Mei-chan!_

Hiro was already shouldering people aside to reach the man many deemed a god. Suguru hurried to follow, not wanting to be swarmed again. He caught a glimpse of K standing next to Ryuichi, polishing the gun that he had just fired into the air to silence the crowd.

"Shame on all of you," Ryuichi reprimanded with no sign of his childish persona. "You almost hurt this poor cat for your own selfish desires. You even made Suguru-kun bleed."

Hiro had reached the singer, and gently took Mei-chan from him. Suguru nearly wept with relief to see that she was unharmed. Unhappy, certainly, but not the bloody mess she was when he first found her as a kitten.

"And shame on those of you who dare to judge someone for who they love. You can accept a man and a woman together, but not Suguru-kun and Hiroshi-kun? That's not fair at all. Love is love. You can't help who you fall in love with." He shrugged. "I love a man, too. Will you judge me the same way you're judging them?"

A chorus of surprise went through the crowd.

"What is he doing?" Hiro whispered in alarm. "Is he insane?"

Understanding dawned on Suguru. "No, he's quite sane," he murmured. "I think he's trying to make them forget about us."

Hiro shot him a doubtful look. "Why would he do that?"

From his elevated position, Ryuichi continued. "Love is hard enough without other people interfering. Isn't that right, Tatsuha?" He smiled down at the black-haired teen that had gone unnoticed by everyone until that point.

Tatsuha smirked up at his lover. "Yeah," he agreed.

Ryuichi glanced at Suguru and Hiro, and he winked. Then a large part of the crowd swarmed him, finally moving away from the tour bus.

"Because he's been where we are now," Suguru guessed. "I think he's been with Tatsuha for a long time. Ryuichi probably figures if people find out about the two of them at the same time they're hearing about the two of us, it won't be as bad. For either of us, I mean. Tabloids will have to divide the slander equally," He shrugged. Ryuichi knew what he was doing. He tugged on Hiro's arm. "Come on, Hiro. I'd like to spend some time alone with you before this storm hits newsstands in the morning."

He took half a step forward and paused, suddenly struck by an idea that was just too good to subject to rational thought. "Hiro?"

"Hmm?"

"If I'm going to be on the front page for this, I want it to be on my terms."

Hiro grinned recklessly. "I agree. Tohma won't like it though."

Suguru laughed. "All the more reason."

With cameras still flashing around them, Suguru pulled Hiro close. He smiled up at his friend and lover, and wondered briefly if he had ever felt true happiness before he loved Hiro. Suguru stood on his tiptoes as Hiro leaned down, and the two met in a passionate kiss.

Cradled safely in the lovers' embrace, Mei-chan purred

* * *

A/N: That's it for this story, chickadees. I hope you were entertained.  
Also, I'm a junkie for reviews because it means people are reading. *hint hint*

Ta!

-Fox


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